If the autumn is standard, rather mild, the Christmas period is very mild, with December being the warmest month ever recorded in France.

The year 2023 begins under the sign of drought. Few rains, with February even being the driest month since 1959 (apparently). There are a few days of morning frost. During the period from February 7 to 16, the temperature swings are the greatest (between 8 and 18 degrees difference between morning and afternoon). With March comes the rain (78mm), which would make it the wettest March in the last 5 years.

Vegetation starts to wake up, buds are swollen but still in a cotton-like state. No frost to affect harvest potential. Rainfall becomes more frequent. Around April 10, bud break is complete. Temperatures gradually rise, and by early May, the de-budding work begins. During this early vegetative period, the north/northeast wind is dominant. Growth accelerates at the end of May, and the first flower grains appear. By June 10, flowering is over. It was rather quick, signaling a rather homogeneous maturation to come.

Growth speeds up further, putting pressure on the team for vine training. July arrives with its heat and rain: two significant episodes bring almost all of the 100mm of rain for the month. By the end of July, veraison is underway! By mid-August, veraison is almost complete, and rainfall also totals 100mm for the month. However, this doesn’t prevent a heatwave in the second half of August.

After a short lull, we begin the harvest on September 4 under scorching temperatures (33°C), which is unprecedented! Acetic acid infection, linked to drosophila, is not uncommon, and the vines suffer from the heat, causing some grapes to shrivel. Sorting, especially in the vineyard, is crucial. The vinification process proceeds well but remains under close supervision due to the high temperatures of the clusters.

No deviations, but sugars tend to linger in certain batches. The average proportion of whole harvest is about 75%, given the generous volumes. Clarifications are challenging, leading to extended sedimentation periods before barrel aging. Malolactic fermentations start quickly.

The aging process calms the wines, which, as often, improve in taste. The structures are precise, and the aromatics are rather fresh.

It’s truly a beautiful vintage.